Friday the 13th has unnerved people for centuries. The number 13 appears in ancient mythology as a symbol of misfortune, and some historians tie the fear directly to the Biblical Last Supper, where 13 people sat at the table the night before Jesus was crucified. Whatever the origin, the superstition stuck — and it brought a long list of bad omens with it.
One of the most well-known warnings involves mirrors. According to folk belief, a shattered mirror doesn’t just make a mess — it curses the person who broke it with seven full years of bad luck.
Even your morning routine can get you into trouble. Starting the day by placing your left foot on the floor first is considered a bad omen in many cultures — the origin of the phrase “got up on the wrong side of the bed.”
Heading outside? Watch where you walk. Passing beneath a leaning ladder forms a triangle with the wall and ground — a shape historically linked to the Holy Trinity. Disturbing that triangle was seen as a sin, inviting misfortune.
At the dinner table, knocked-over salt was once considered a waste of a precious and expensive commodity. Superstition says the devil stands at your left shoulder waiting to take advantage — so toss a pinch of salt over your left shoulder to blind him.
Keep your umbrella closed until you step outside. Opening one indoors is said to anger the sun deity who blessed the umbrella’s protective purpose — bringing bad luck to everyone in the room.
Hold onto your wallet — literally. Setting your purse or bag on the floor signals to the universe that you don’t value your money, and the belief goes that your finances will soon reflect that disrespect.
Owls are creatures of the night. Spotting one in broad daylight breaks that rule entirely. Across many cultures — from ancient Rome to Native American traditions — a daytime owl sighting signals that death or disaster is near.
Few omens are as universally recognized as a black cat crossing your path. Rooted in medieval Europe, where black cats were linked to witchcraft and the devil, this superstition spread across the Western world and remains one of the most recognized signs of bad luck today.
Drop a knife in the kitchen? Don’t pick it up yourself. Old folk wisdom says someone else must retrieve it for you — picking it up yourself invites an argument or a streak of bad luck into your home.
Tossing a hat onto a bed is one of the older superstitions in this list. In the days before modern medicine, lice and disease spread easily through hats, which were removed near a sick person’s bed. The habit stuck as a bad omen long after the practical reason was forgotten.
Breaking into song at the dinner table is more than bad manners in some traditions. The superstition — common in parts of Europe — warns that a person who sings while eating will marry a fool or bring sorrow to the meal.
Finally, never rock an empty rocking chair. The belief, strong in Appalachian and Irish folklore, holds that an unoccupied rocking chair in motion is being claimed by a spirit — and rocking it invites that spirit to stay in your home permanently.
